Season 2 episode 1: Why he really went back
by Bananas102
Summary: When Oliver's friends go to get him from Lian Yu, they find out he doesn't want to come home. Then something else happens, which effects Oliver more than anyone else. Added and changed scene to Season 2 episode 1: City of Heroes. Hope you like! Please review!
1. Chapter 1

They walked through the forest. The island felt wild, dangerous, and prison-like. Felicity heard a click. Her blood went cold. "Dig?" He turned around, and they both looked fearfully at where her foot was. Dig knelt down and scraped away the dirt with his blade. "It's a mine. I'm going to see if I can disarm it."

"You can't!" They looked turned their heads to see Oliver up high in a tree. He had his bow and arrows with him. "Diggle, back away." He looked at Felicity. "Felicity. Don't move." He aimed, ans hot an arrow, and Dig and Felicity followed it with their eyes. Oliver swung, a rope holding him. He caught Felicity, the blast throwing all of them to the ground.

Felicity panted, Oliver almost on top of her. "You're really sweaty." Oliver would have laughed, or even smiled in any other case. Diggle raised his head. "You are a hard man to find." Oliver looked away from both of them. "You shouldn't have come here."

Oliver carried his bow and arrows inside, the others following him inside the crashed plane. As Oliver set his weapons down Diggle said, "I would have emailed, but this place isn't exactly a Wifi hotspot." Oliver said nothing. "This is where you lived when you were here?" Felicity asked. Her tone was almost disapproving, and it was, the place was swamped with plants and it was also a crashed plane.

She looked around again. "I mean, you know, the first time that you were here." Oliver slipped a shirt on. He looked at Felicity, then looked away. "For some of it." Felicity gave him a look. "Can you al least pretend you're happy to see us?" He swallowed, strangely quiet. "Me and Diggle have spent weeks tracking you down, we travelled halfway across the world, and this morning we flew in a plane so old, I think I was safer jumping out of it."

She almost scoffed. "I mean, at least offer us a water. Or a coconut." Oliver turned away, and opened one of the grey crates he had, and pulled out a bottle of water, and he gave it to her. "Fresh out of coconuts." He paused, and he almost smiled, but he didn't. "I am happy to see you." He took a step back. "I know why you're here. I'm not coming back to Starling City."

"I can't, my mission, my father list, was a fool's crusade, and I failed. Malcom Merlyn destroyed the Glades." Felicity looked at him, sympathy on her face. Oliver was sweaty. He looked dirty and tired. He held himself with a sadness. "Tommy died," he added quietly.

"The Hood couldn't stop it. Don't ask me to put it on again," he said, shaking his head. "Ever."

He turned away, breathing deeply. Diggle put down his water. "This isn't about you being the vigilante, this is about you being Oliver Queen." Oliver exhaled. "Your mothers' in prison, Oliver. Her trial's coming up. You want her to go it alone? Your family needs you." Felicity pursed her lips. She told him about how the company was being taken over, and how he needed to help.

As she talked about how thousand of people would lose their jobs, a pained look came over Oliver and he clenched his teeth together. Then Diggle came in. "We get you needed time. Believe me. I've been there. After what happened, nobody came blame you for leaving." Oliver sighed, looking down.

"But it's time to come home." Oliver raised his head and looked at him.

"We get it, Oliver."

Oliver swallowed. "No. You don't. I'm not coming back."

Felicity gave him a look. "Oliver." He looked at both of them. "You want to know why I came back here?" He looked like he was going to cry. "This place. This island was _hell _for me. I came back because I failed everyone. My family. My..friends." Felicity opened her mouth to speak. "I came back here because I deserve to be in hell!" He breathed hard, his eyes wild, and tears clouding his eyes.

He ran out. "Oliver!" Felicity called after him. Diggle swallowed. "We gotta find him. Come on."

Oliver went to the big rock he and his friends had discovered long ago. He crouched on top of it. He forgot to take weapons with him, but he didn't really have anyone to fear. The other two found him. Felicity was panting. "We. Have been looking. For you. For. Hours." Oliver sighed. "I needed to think. Diggle looked at his best friend.

"Do you really believe you belong in hell?" Oliver glanced at him. "Yeah. After everything I've done, I should rot here." Felicity inhaled, then exhaled. "Oliver, you were trying to help the city." He shook his head. "Not all of it happened in Starling City." Diggle glanced at the trees, as well as Felicity. "Oh. But Oliver, you were trying to survive."

There was a snap, so faint and far away. But someone was there. Oliver's head snapped to the side, peering into the trees. "What is it?" Oliver narrowed his eyes. "Someone is there." The other two looked in the direction, eyes wide. Diggle tossed him his bow and quiver. "Figured you might appreciate it," he told him.

Oliver nodded, and shot an arrow into a branch, the rope carrying him into the tree. The he was on island mode. Felicity and Diggle saw the shift. His eyes held no emotion, just a sharpness. He moved silently, and gracefully, yet his actions were quick. Precise. He leapt into another tree, running along the branches, and he was out of sight.

Felicity frowned. "Did we just let him run off again?" Diggle groaned.


	2. Chapter 2

Felicity and Diggle ran after him. Or at least they tried to.

Oliver quickly weaved through the forest, in the trees above. But he saw no one. He saw nothing. He stopped. Then he crouched on the branch, his eyes narrowing at the forest floor. It was for him. It had to be. Not an ambush, he was sure of it, but he didn't understand.

He climbed down to the lowest branch and dropped to the ground. There was a rustle, and in a single breath, he had whipped around and aimed his bow, arrow at the ready. Felicity shrieked, and Oliver sighed, and lowered his bow. "Uh, thanks. You know, for not shooting me," she breathed. Dig came up, and looked suspiciously at the object. "I assume that's supposed to be here."

Oliver turned to look at the TV. It was smallish, battery powered, and had a bright yellow sticky note stuck to it. He walked over and picked it up. The note read:

_Haven't seen you in a while._

Oliver got a small chill down his spine. This note seemed familiar, but he just couldn't place it. There was a circle drawn around the play button. Felicity and Dig stood net to him, peering curiously at the screen. Oliver exhaled and pressed play. The screen came to life, and one word popped up onto the screen. _Remember? _

Then it cut to a video. Oliver's blood ran cold and his heart pounded in his chest, his system flooded with fear. It was him, tied to that post, screaming as that Billy guy who tortured him cut into him. Felicity gasped, and covered her mouth, looking at Oliver in alarm. Diggle just looked sick. Then the video cut to another screen.

_This time you're not leaving._

_Edward Fyers._

Oliver dropped the TV thing, and backed away from it. He denied it. He couldn't be alive. No way. He's not. It's not possible. No. No, no no no no. No. Please, no.

"Oliver," Felicity said softly. Diggle looked at Oliver. Oliver shook his head. "No." Dig took a step toward him. "Oliver, why did you never say anything?" Oliver tried to keep his head. "I didn't..I don't...He can't be alive...I..," he panted. He choked back something. Most people would call it a sob or tears, but Oliver completely denied it.

"Oliver," Felicity said, pulling him into a hug. But he couldn't function. She looked at him. "Are you okay?" He shook his head. Dig exhaled. "Who is Edward Fyers?" Oliver looked at him alarm. Dig pointed to the TV. "Did he..was that him?" Oliver shook his head. Then he heard another rustle. He nocked an arrow, aiming it, and looking around wildly.

"What?" Oliver shook his head. He heard the person coming closer, and then Billy stepped out of the brush. Flickers of recognition shone in Diggle's eyes, and Felicity glanced at the TV. Billy just looked at Oliver. Oliver fired an arrow, and Billy dodged it. He kept walking and Oliver backed away, continuing to fire.

"Wait." Everyone froze, including Billy.

Fyers followed from where Billy appeared, wearing some sort of vest, and Oliver wasn't sure what to do, for the vest was thick enough to stop his arrows. "Oliver, Oliver, Oliver. Not such a playboy anymore. Are you?"


	3. Chapter 3

Oliver kept his bow trained on him. Fyers chuckled. "Remember Oliver? Being tortured. Being hunter and beaten. Being forced to kill." Oliver wanted to shiver at the memories, but held steady. Diggle and Felicity absorbed everything, glancing from Oliver to Fyers, and occasionally to Billy.

"You don't scare me," he said. Fyers looked at him, his confidence giving Oliver unease. "Oh?" Then Billy ran at him, and knocked him flat to the ground. His bow was ripped away, and he kicked at Billy's stomach. Billy relented slightly, giving Oliver a split second to push him off. Billy drew a gun and aimed it at Felicity, who turned pale on the spot.

Oliver froze. Damn it, they never should have come. Fyers looked smug. "Bag him." Then soldiers burst out of the brush, firing off tranquilizer darts. Oliver groaned and blinked as several hit his chest. He heard someone call his name. "Oliver!" But the voices faded as he sank to his knees, then fell to the ground.

Oliver awoke, immediately alert. He was propped up against a wooden post and the tent he was in was too familiar. "Oliver?" He looked in confusion to his left, where Diggle and Felicity where tied up. Felicity looked shaken. "You two okay?" he asked. Diggle nodded. "Oliver, he told us what he's going to do to you," Felicity said, her voice wavering.

Oliver's heart pounded, but he exhaled and said, "I'll be fine."

A soldier stuck his head in, then went out again. Several minutes later Fyers and Billy came back. Oliver scanned the tent for his weapons, but didn't see them. There were a few pocket knives scattered casually across one of the tables, and Oliver was trying to figure out the best way to get there.

Fyers looked at him. "You destroyed everything and almost _killed me," _he growled. Oliver's gaze flickered to him.

"You deserved it," he said. Fyers looked at him with venomous hate. He gave a quick nod, and the soldiers pulled him to his feet and tied his hands to the post, just like before. Oliver struggled, but could only glare, though he was scared. Fyers went up to him, right in his face. Oliver made his face remain calm. "This must really bring back some memories for you, it does for me."

Felicity looked at him in horror, while Dig tried to break out of the bonds. Fyers turned to Billy. He nodded. Billy sauntured forward, same jagged knife in his hand. This was too real, too much the same. It can't be real. Before Billy got to him, Fyers said, "Don't cut him where you did last time. Give him more scars."

Billy stepped forward, putting the knife against Oliver's gut. Oliver's head was screaming no, and he struggled. Fear washed all over him, and he barely got it under control. "Wait!" Felicity cried. Dig yelled, "Stop!" Oliver concentrated on breathing evenly, and he looked desperately for any kind of escape.

The first cut he was able to not scream. Warmth spread across his gut, and he gritted his teeth and groaned. He breathed really fast and he tried to slow it.

The second cut, on the left side of his ribs, made him cry out and close his eyes. He vaguely heard screams to stop, and six cuts later, they did. Olivers opened his eyes. Fyers was looking at him, all smug. "This time, Yao Fe can't save you. Mainly because he dead." Oliver gritted his teeth and gave him the worst gare he could, his vibes practically spitting out hate and venom.

He strained against the bonds, and they snapped. Oliver quickly tucked himself into a roll, and broke the ones around his ankles. Soldiers cried out, ready to shoot him, but he knocked them out. Billy kicked him in the skin, and punched him in the face. They faced each other.

Oliver saw a gun in the hands of one of the knocked-out soldiers. He dived, grabbed it, and shot Billy several times. When he fell, he just gave Oliver a look. Just a look. Oliver almost shuddered. He dropped the gun. He hated guns.

Fyers backed out of the tent, and Oliver groaned. He breathed, and turned to Felicity and Dig. "Oh, God, Oliver," Felicity said, when he released them. Dig caught Oliver when he stumbled, light-headed and tired. "We have to stop the bleeding." He shrugged them off, even though he was dizzy the pain and adrenaline was giving him a clear head, which was what he needed.

They sneaked to another tent, and they found themselves in a weapons place. Dig grabbed a gun, Oliver his bow and quiver, still stocked with arrows, and Felicity grabbed a little handgun, but looked a little queasy holding it.

Oliver went out first. The camp was a lot smaller than before, so there was only about 30 soldiers. Oliver took down five, add that to the four inside. Dig took down two, and Felicity shot one. So about 18 more to go. They took them down with ease, and the final ones went down with a random grenade that Diggle found and tossed.

There was only one Oliver was bent on putting an end to.


	4. Chapter 4

He found that person. Behind a Jeep. Alone.

He had three arrows at once trained on him. He would be dead this time. "So. You escaped. Ladida. You shot me once, but it didn't kill me." Oliver breathed hard, bristling with fury. "You tortured me, you hunted me, and you killed my friend!" Fyers looked at him. "Well, Yao Fe had served his purpose." Oliver scoffed. "I can finally get rid of you."

And he shot him. And Oliver watched him die.

Diggle ran up. "That's...everyone." Oliver nodded. "Good." He wavered, then he was out.

He woke up on his back, inside the plane. He sat up, but winced. "Oliver, don't." He looked over and Felicity was getting some bandages. "What?" Dig came inside. "Thank God you're awake." Oliver frowned. Felicity pressed the new bandages against his wounds. "Is this what happened the first time." Oliver shook his head. "No. It was..worse."

Dig shuddered. Felicity swallowed hard. "Oliver, you can't stay here. It's torture." Oliver scoffed. "Why not?" Felicity gave him a look. "Because Starling City needs you. Your family needs you. We need you." Oliver frowned and looked up at her. "I can't..ugh." He laid back onto the ground. "It's just..my memories of this place, my experiences here made me who I am. And I failed."

He got to his feet and Diggle got in his face. "Oliver Queen, you have an obligation to everybody to get back to that city. Are you going to let everyone down?" Oliver looked at him. The internal conflict was written all over his face. He nodded.

"Fine. I'll go back."


End file.
